Secure network configuration and/or access using user device

Abstract

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing secure network configuration and/or secure network access using a user device. In various embodiments, after establishing a secure wireless connection with a local network device, in some cases, by scanning and decoding a barcode (including connectivity data for connecting with the local network device) that is affixed to, or displayed on a display device on, a surface of the local network device, the user device may configure the local network device with settings and configurations. The user device may also provide a new wireless device with connectivity data for connecting with the local network device, in some cases, by scanning and decoding another barcode on the new wireless device to establish a secure connection to send the connectivity data. The user device and/or the new wireless device may then access a network established by the (configured) local network device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 causing, by a first device, a first barcode on a second device to be scanned using a first image-capture device, the first barcode comprising first data that is encoded therein, wherein the first device comprises a previously connected user device, wherein the second device comprises a not-yet-connected user device, and wherein first barcode is one of a static barcode that is affixed to a surface of the second device or a dynamic barcode that is displayed on a display device on the surface of the second device;   causing, by the first device, decoding of the first data that is encoded in the first barcode, the first data comprising first connectivity data associated with establishing secure wireless connection with the second device;   causing, by the first device, a first secure wireless communications link to be established between the first device and the second device, based on the first connectivity data that is encoded in the first barcode;   exchanging, over the first secure wireless communications link between the first and second devices, second data, the second data comprising one of one or more network access settings for accessing a first network that is established by a local network device or second connectivity data for connecting with a third device to obtain the one or more network access settings for accessing the first network, wherein exchanging the second data comprises sending, by the first device and to the second device, the second connectivity data for securely connecting with the local network device, the local network device being the third device;   causing, by the second device, a second secure wireless communications link to be established between the second device and the local network device, based on the second connectivity data that is received from the first device;   receiving, by the second device, the one or more network access settings from the local network device; and   accessing, by one of the first device or the second device, the first network, using the one or more network access settings, wherein accessing the first network comprises accessing, by the second device, the first network, using the one or more network access settings.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first barcode comprises one of a one-dimensional (“1D”) barcode or a two-dimensional (“2D”) barcode. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the local network device comprises one of a wireless access point (“WAP”), a modem, a router, a gateway device, or a device combining functionalities of two or more of the WAP, the modem, the router, or the gateway device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first device comprises a user device, wherein the second device comprises the local network device, wherein the first barcode is one of a static barcode that is affixed to a surface of the local network device or a dynamic barcode that is displayed on a display device on the surface of the local network device, wherein the local network device is a replacement local network device that replaces a previous local network device, wherein the method further comprises:
 after the first secure wireless communications link has been established, configuring, by the first device, the second device with settings and configurations of the previous local network device;   wherein exchanging the second data comprises, after the second device has established the first network based on the settings and configurations of the previous local network device, receiving, by the first device, the one or more network access settings from the second device; and   wherein accessing the first network comprises accessing, by the first device, the first network, using the one or more network access settings.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the user device comprises one of a smart phone, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, or a portable gaming device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the static barcode comprises a sticker-based barcode, wherein the dynamic barcode comprises a changeable barcode that is displayed on the display device that is one of affixed to or integrated with the surface of the local network device, wherein the display device comprises one of an electronic ink (“e-ink”)-based display device, an electronic paper (“e-paper”)-based display device, a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) device, a light-emitting diode (“LED”) display device, or an organic LED (“OLED”) display device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the second device is configured to have a media access control (“MAC”) address that is a clone of a MAC address of the previous local network device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 after configuring the second device with settings and configurations of the previous local network device, causing, by the first device, the second device to lock or disable subsequent modification of its settings and configurations.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first device comprises a user device, wherein the second device comprises the local network device, wherein the first barcode is one of a static barcode that is affixed to a surface of the local network device or a dynamic barcode that is displayed on a display device on the surface of the local network device, wherein the method further comprises:
 after the first secure wireless communications link has been established, configuring, by the first device, the second device with settings and configurations for the local network device;   causing, by the first device, a service set identifier (“SSID”) to be set up for a new network, the new network being the first network;   wherein exchanging the second data comprises, after the second device has established the first network based on the settings and configurations for local network devices and with the SSID that is caused to be set up by the first device, receiving, by the first device, the one or more network access settings from the second device; and   wherein accessing the first network comprises accessing, by the first device, the first network, using the one or more network access settings.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first device comprises a not-yet-connected user device, wherein the second device comprises a previously connected user device, wherein the first barcode is a barcode that is displayed on a display device of the second device, wherein the method further comprises:
 after the first secure wireless communications link has been established, performing the step of exchanging the second data, wherein exchanging the second data comprises receiving, by the first device and from the second device, the second connectivity data for securely connecting with the local network device, the local network device being the third device;   causing, by the first device, a second secure wireless communications link to be established between the first device and the local network device, based on the second connectivity data that is received from the second device;   after the second secure wireless communications link has been established, receiving, by the first device, the one or more network access settings from the local network device; and   wherein accessing the first network comprises accessing, by the first device, the first network, using the one or more network access settings.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first device comprises one of a smart phone, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a portable gaming device, or other user device with which the first image-capture device is at least one of an integrated or externally communicatively coupled. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second device comprises one of a smart phone, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a portable gaming device, a home appliance, an office machine, a medical device, a commercial device, or an industrial device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein establishing one or both of the first secure wireless communications link or the second secure wireless communications link is performed based on a determined highest wireless encryption scheme that each device that is linked by the corresponding secure wireless communications link is capable of utilizing. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first connectivity data or the second connectivity data comprises at least one of a shared secret key, a network password, or a network passphrase, wherein the one or more network access settings comprise at least one of a private Internet Protocol (“IP”) subnet address, a gateway ID, a service set identifier (“SSID”) for the first network, a media access control (“MAC”) address for the local network device, or domain name system (“DNS”) settings. 
     
     
         15 . A user device, comprising:
 a first image-capture device, wherein the first image-capture device comprises a previously connected user device;   at least one first processor; and   a first non-transitory computer readable medium communicatively coupled to the at least one first processor, the first non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer software comprising a first set of instructions that, when executed by the at least one first processor, causes the user device to:   scan a first barcode on a second device using the first image-capture device, the first barcode comprising first data that is encoded therein, wherein the second device comprises a not-yet-connected user device, and wherein the first barcode is one of a static barcode that is affixed to a surface of the second device or a dynamic barcode that is displayed on a display device on the surface of the second device;   decode the first data that is encoded in the first barcode, the first data comprising first connectivity data associated with establishing secure wireless connection with the second device;   establish a first secure wireless communications link between the user device and the second device, based on the first connectivity data that is encoded in the first barcode; and   exchange, over the first secure wireless communications link, second data, the second data comprising one of one or more network access settings for accessing a first network that is established by a local network device or second connectivity data for connecting with a third device to obtain the one or more network access settings for accessing the first network,   wherein the first network is accessed by one of the user device or the second device using the one or more network access settings,   wherein exchanging the second data comprises sending, by the first device and to the second device, the second connectivity data for securely connecting with the local network device, the local network device being the third device,   wherein the second device establishes a second secure wireless communications link between the second device and the local network device based on the second connectivity data that is received from the first device and receives the one or more network access settings from the local network device, and   wherein accessing the first network comprises accessing, by the second device, the first network, using the one or more network access settings.   
     
     
         16 . The user device of  claim 15 , wherein the second device comprises the local network device, wherein the first barcode is one of a static barcode that is affixed to a surface of the local network device or a dynamic barcode that is displayed on a display device on the surface of the local network device, wherein the first set of instructions, when executed by the at least one first processor, further causes the user device to perform one of:
 in response to receiving user input to utilize settings and configurations of a previous local network device, performing the following:   after the first secure wireless communications link has been established, configuring the second device with settings and configurations of the previous local network device;   wherein exchanging the second data comprises, after the second device has established the first network based on the settings and configurations of the previous local network device, receiving the one or more network access settings from the second device; and   wherein accessing the first network comprises accessing the first network, using the one or more network access settings; or   in response to receiving user input to set up a new network, performing the following:   after the first secure wireless communications link has been established, configuring the second device with settings and configurations for local network devices;   setting up a service set identifier (“SSID”) for a new network, the new network being the first network;   wherein exchanging the second data comprises, after the second device has established the first network based on the settings and configurations for local network devices and with the SSID that is caused to be set up by the first device, receiving the one or more network access settings from the second device; and   wherein accessing the first network comprises accessing the first network, using the one or more network access settings.   
     
     
         17 . The user device of  claim 15 , wherein the third device comprises the local network device, wherein the first set of instructions, when executed by the at least one first processor, further causes the user device to perform one of:
 in response to receiving user input to provide access to the first network to the second device, which is a not-yet-connected device that does not have a camera but the first barcode is one of a static barcode that is affixed to a surface of the second device or a dynamic barcode that is displayed on a display device on the surface of the second devices, performing the following:   after the first secure wireless communications link has been established, performing the step of exchanging the second data, wherein exchanging the second data comprises sending, to the second device, the second connectivity data for securely connecting with the local network device, wherein the second device accesses the first network using the one or more network access settings that it receives from the local network device after establishing the second secure wireless communications link between the second device and the local network device, based on the second connectivity data that is received from the user device;   in response to receiving user input to provide access to the first network to a fourth device, which is a not-yet-connected device that has a camera, performing the following:   generating a second barcode on a display device for the fourth device to scan, the second barcode comprising third data that is encoded therein, the third data comprising third connectivity data associated with establishing secure wireless connection with the user device;   after a third secure wireless communications link has been established between the user device and the fourth device based on the third connectivity data that is encoded in the second barcode, sending, to the fourth device, fourth connectivity data for securely connecting with the local network device, wherein the fourth device accesses the first network using one or more second network access settings that it receives from the local network device after establishing a fourth secure wireless communications link between the fourth device and the local network device, based on the fourth connectivity data that is received from the user device;   in response to receiving user input to provide access to the first network to a fifth device, which is a not-yet-connected device that is capable of communicating using a secure wireless communications link based on one of IEEE 802.15 protocols (“Bluetooth protocols”), ISO/IEC 18092 protocols (“NFCIP-1 protocols”), ISO/IEC 21281 protocols (“NFCIP-2 protocols”), or ISO/IEC 14443 protocols (“RFID protocols”), performing the following:   establishing a fifth secure wireless communications link between the user device and the fifth device, based on the one of the Bluetooth protocols, the NFCIP-1 protocols, the NFCIP-2 protocols, or the RFID protocols;   after the fifth secure wireless communications link has been established between the user device and the fifth device, sending, to the fifth device, fifth connectivity data for securely connecting with the local network device, wherein the fifth device accesses the first network using one or more third network access settings that it receives from the local network device after establishing a sixth secure wireless communications link between the fifth device and the local network device, based on the fifth connectivity data that is received from the user device; or   in response to receiving user input to provide access to the first network to a sixth device, which is a not-yet-connected device that is capable of communicating using a secure wireless communications link based on IEEE 802.11 protocols (“Wi-Fi protocols”), performing one of the following:   causing the local network device to initiate a first temporary access mode, which includes the local network device sending a temporary password to the user device; receiving and displaying the temporary password on a display device of the user device, wherein the sixth device accesses the first network using the temporary password that is displayed on the display device of the user device; or   causing the local network device to initiate a second temporary access mode, which includes the local network device to enter into a discovery mode that ends either after connection with a responding device or after a preset delay period; wherein the sixth device accesses the first network by connecting with the local network device by initiating its own discovery mode during the discovery mode of the local network device.